ltman



A. S. LYMAN.

Water Gage.

Patented Aug; 12, 1851.

N. PETERS. PheloLilho n hur. Washington, D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

A. S. LYMAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

WATER-GAGE FOR STEAM-BOILERS.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 8,290, dated August 12, 1851.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, A. S. LYMAN, of the city and count-y of New York and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Method of Indicating the Height of the Water in Steam-Boilers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 represents section of gage. Fig. 2 is a front view of gage indicator.

The nature of my invention consists in connecting a glass tube, having its lower end immersed in a cistern of mercury, with the boiler, by the legs of a siphon; the longer leg of the siphon leading from the top of the glass tube to the part of the boiler below the water level; the shorter leg leading from the cistern of mercury to a small reservoir connected with the boiler above the water level. The glass tube then becomes a part of the shorter leg of the siphon and if the whole siphon except the mercury cup at the bottom of the glass tube is filled with water the extra weight of the water in the longer leg of the siphon causes the mercury to be forced up the glass tube a greater or less distance in proportion as the comparative length of this leg is-increased or lessened, that is, as the water rises or falls in the boiler. The area of the cistern and tube being proportioned as in the drawing the mercury rises 2/25 of an inch while the water in the boiler falls one inch.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention I will proceed to describe its construction and operation. I construct my steam boiler in any of the known forms and apply thereto gage cocks, a safety valve and the other appendages of 'such boilers, but in order to obviate the danger arising from the neglect of firemen or engineers as well as for the purpose of conveniently ascertaining the exact height of the water in the boiler at any moment. I construct a water gage as shown in the drawing.

A represents the boiler; a a, the water level in the boiler.

B, represents the glass tube indicator, G, the shallow cup containing mercury in which the lower end of this tube is immersed. D the tube leading from this cup of mercury to (E) the small reservoir connected with the boiler or steam chamber with the boiler and near its bottom with the shorter leg of the siphon, so that the lower end of the short leg at E, is constantly filled with water. This reservoir is supplied with and kept full of water by the condensed steam from the boiler. K the sediment depositor which somewhat resembles an inverted can with a shield (G), fastened a short distance below its mouth for the purpose of preventing particles of steam from rising into it. It is the reverse of the common sediment collector. There is no commotion in this sediment depositor and the impurities settle away from the upper part down toward this shield (G,) and are washed olf by the agitation of the water in the body of the boiler. The tube from the top of the depositor descends to f, and remains full of water which prevents air from rising into the leg of the siphon even when the boiler is empty.

Directions for putting the gage in operat2'0n.7hen the gage is put up, fill the cistern with mercury by turning it through a small paper tunnel introduced at the screw plug m, until it stands fully up even with the bottom of the hole n. The air may be expelled and the siphon filled with water by leaving out the plugs m and n until steam is raised to a sufficient pressure to expel water from the openings, then shut the cocks at d, and f, shut the opening a, introduce a small rod down through the indicator by the screw plug opening m,

move it up and down while turning in a little water around it until the glass tube is perfectly filled, shut firmly the screw plugs m, and a, open the cooks d, and f, when the gage will commence its indications. If the glass tube indicator becomes blackened shut the cocks d, and f, introduce a swab down the glass tube wipe it clean, tighten the plug a, turn in water at m, until the glass tube is filled, tighten the plug m and open the cooks.

I claim 1. The combination of the glass tube, and a reservoir of fluid below it heavier than that contained in its upper part with the legs of a siphon so that they become a part of that siphon substantially as described, by which means I am enabled to protect the glass tube from the heat of the steam and 5 impurities of the water, and also to show at any point above the boiler the height of the water in the boiler. 2. I also claim the combination with th gage of the sediment depositor constructed and arranged substantially as described for 10 the purpose of preventing the impurities of the water from entering the tube leading to the gage.

A. S. LYMAN.

'Witnesses:

G. W. VAN Voonms, JOB. R. BARRY. 

